Objects such as framed art work, mirrors, photographs, diplomas, and the like are typically hung on a wall by hammering one or two nails or hooks into the wall, and supporting the picture on the nail(s) or hook(s) by a support wire or string attached to the object. If a single nail or hook is used, the object may tilt due to non-uniform weight distribution, vibrations, persons bumping into it, and other reasons. Using two nails or hooks provides additional stability.
Conventionally, hanging an object at a desired height and/or location is not as simple as just hammering the hooks into the wall. To hang the object at a desired height, the hooks must be properly positioned with respect to the wire. This height must take into consideration where the support wire is connected to the sides of the object, how far the object drops when the wire is hung on the hooks, and how far apart the hooks are from each other.
With either the one or two nail or hook arrangement, once nailed into the wall, adjusting the height or side-to-side position of the object is difficult. Either the support wire must be shortened (to change the height) or the hooks or nails must be nailed into a new location in the wall (to change the height and/or the side-to-side location). This has several drawbacks. First, it is time consuming; one may have to re-measure the hooks to make sure that they are at the proper height and proper distance apart. Second, it requires a second set of holes in the wall--this is particularly undesirable if the first set of holes is visible due to the new location of the object.
After the nail or hooks are affixed in the walls, the wire on the object must be positioned over them. This procedure is difficult, particularly for large objects. This is because it is undesirable for the support wire to show above the object. Thus, the support wire length is selected to be short so as not to extend over the top of the object when pulled up when the object is hanging on the hooks. This short support wire provides little room behind the object to position the support wire into the hooks. This procedure typically must be done "blind", using one's "feel", rather than sight, to position the support wire.
Another disadvantage to the conventional arrangement is that the nail or hook and support wire arrangement does not provide any protection against accident or theft. For example, if the support wire breaks or disconnects from the object, the object will fall and possibly be damaged, not to mention injury or damage that may occur to persons or objects beneath it. A particularly valuable object or art work hanging in publicly assessable areas, such as office buildings, or hotel rooms, is not protected from theft--a thief having access to the object may take it off the wall simply by lifting it off of the hooks or nails.
Yet another disadvantage to conventional picture frame hangers is that the orientation of the picture is limited to being substantially parallel to the plane defined by the points to where the support wire is connected to the frame. For example, if the support wire is connected to two opposite sides of a rectangular frame, the hanged frame will be oriented with a top that is parallel to the plane defined by the support wire's support points in the sides. The frame cannot, if desired, be oriented in any other manner, such as with a corner of the frame pointing up to provide a diamond-shaped orientation. Another reason an unusual orientation may be desirable is where a frame is being hung near a wall or ceiling that is not plumb or level. Often, hanging a frame near such a wall or ceiling emphasizes the defect in the wall or ceiling. It may be preferable in such instances to hang a frame at a slightly angled orientation.
On the other hand, as a practical matter, picture hangers should be economical to manufacture. Most persons do not want to spend more than a few cents to a few dollars on a picture hanger. A typical set of hooks for hanging a picture is quite inexpensive. Thus, even if a picture hanger overcame the drawbacks discussed, it may not be a successful product if it is overly expensive to manufacture. Few, if any, people will buy a picture hanger costing significantly more than a hook, which is relatively inexpensive. Thus, an economical design is an advantageous feature of a picture hanger.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a picture frame hanger that permits the object to be hung to have any desired orientation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a picture hanger which provides improved security from damage or theft.
It is an even further object of the present invention to provide a picture hanger having an economical design.